Heat exchanger



NOV.

HEAT EXCHANGER Filed Dec. 7. 19:53

W i Q w I A k F .711 a" Patented Nov. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT zpzlsss 2,021,856 r m'r EXCHANGER James B. Forbes, New York, N. Y., assignor to Alco Products Incorporated, New York, N. YL, a corporation of Delaware Application December 7, 1933, Serial No. 7011,281 2 Claims. (c1. ctr-arc) plate structure consisting of one or more support plates drilled with tight fitting holes through. which the tubes pass. Such a structure is prol vided to eliminate vibration of the tubes. Great care has been exercised in the past to obtain a close flt between the tubes and the holes through which they pass, but, due to manufacturing tolerances there'has always been clearance between, the tube and the tube support which allowed the tube to vibrate causing chafing and eventually resulting in leaks. I i

It is an object of my invention to provide a method of securing a tubular member within a closely fitting plate orifice.

Another object of my inventionis to provide a method of reducing vibration of plate SDDD rted.

heat exchanger tubes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tube support plate structure for reducing vibration and minimizing chafing.

A further object of my invention-is to provide a tool for externally expanding heat exchanger tuhes. so Other objects of my invention appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawing which forms part of the instant specification and into be read in conjunction therewith and in which like as numbers refer to like parts throughout the several views:

Figure l-is a sectional elevation of a tube bundie of a heat exchanger structure sh the tube support plate of my invention.

40 Figure 2 is a sectional view taken through the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

3 is an enlarged detail view partly in section showing a tube in the region oi the support piste before being expanded.

4.5 Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view showing the tube in the region oi the support plate after be expanded.

Figure 5 is an end view oi the expansion head off the tool oi my invention in place in the tube. so Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view showing a tube expanded ina support plate having a modi fled orifice wail.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view show ing a tube in place before expansion in a support to plate a modified orifice wall.

Figure 8 is a view of the tube shown in Figure 7 after expansion.

In general, my invention relates to a method of securing tubular members within a plate orifice and a tool which may be inserted within a tube and expanded at the point of contact between a tube and a tube support plate in order that the tubemay be forced outward into intimate contact with the walls of the surrounding plate oriflce. An adjustable collar is provided on the no shaft oi the expansion tool in order t the expansion head may be located at predetermined distances within the length of the tube. A support shaft having a removable head is provided .t'or insertion within the tube and expandible to head to force the tube walls outwardly.

More particularly referring now to the draw ing, heat exchanger tubes 6 are supported by a fixed tube sheet 2 and a floating tube sheet 3. One or more tube support plates d are mounted intermediate the tube sheets 2 and 3. A small floating head support plate 5 may be provided adjacent the floating tube sheet 3 for supporting a few of the total number of heat exchanger tubes if desired.

It will be seen, from Figure 4, that the tube i is passed through the support plate 3, so as a provide a very close fit between the tube and the support plate. The walls 6 and l of the orifice diverge outwardly from the center of the support so plate.

The tube walls upon expansion are in intimate contact with the diverged orifice wells 5 and l as indicated in Figure 4 thus insuring elimination of vibration between the tube and support plate with its attendant chafing which will eventually result in break-down on the tubewalis. As-an alternative the orifice walls 8 may be cylin= drical with chamfered edges 9 as shown in Figure 6 or may diverge outwardly from the lace so of the support plate as shown at it in l and t.

Referring now to Figure 3, a sliflt it having an end socket, is provided with a collar no having an annular flange 66 parallel to the longido tudlnal axis of the shaft H. A set screw is is provided in the collar is for adjustably locating the collar along the shaft. At selected points along the shaft recesses it are provided for eri= gagement by the set screw it. An expansion so head 08 is secured to the end shaft ll by pin 25, the expansion head it, comprising a plumb ity of fingers to, integrally connected at one end and forming a recess-portion 23 at the free ends.

A removable head member it having a hardened 55 steel nose 21 at one end'is secured to shaft 30 by pin 32.

In operation, the expandible head I8 is locked to the shaft II by means of the pin 25 and inserted into the tube until the expandible head is within the area embraced by a selected plate orifice. Inasmuch as this distance may be accurately determined from the exterior of the tube, the collar l3 may be set at a'selected point on the shaft corresponding to the measured distance to insure that the expandible head within the tube will be accurately located with relation to the tube support plate. The removable nose piece 26 is locked to the shaft 30 by means of the pin 32 and inserted within the tube until the hardened head 21 engages the recess portion 23 of the expandible head l8. A series of blows are delivered to the protruding end of the shaft 30 while the protruding end of the shaft l I is held in position by the collar l3 against what may be either the floating head tube sheet 3 or the fixed tube sheet 2. These blows force the expander element 26 inside of the expandible head l8 which, in turn, forces the wall of the tube to a greater diameter bringing said tube in fixed relation with the side walls of the tube support plate opening. After completion of this expanding operation the tool may be withdrawn from the tube.

It will be observedthat I have accomplished the objects of my invention. I have provided an expansion tool by which I am enabled to internally expand a heat exchanger tube and provide a method of securing fixed contact with the surunits or fingers which would be fastenedtogether by means of a clamping ring. With such construction, it would be obvious that, in event one finger became distorted or broken, it could be replaced without the necessity of replacing the entire unit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A heat exchanger comprising a tube bundle having tubes, tube sheets, a support plate inter-' mediate said tube sheets having orifices through which said tubes pass, araised portion integrally formed on each tube, each raised portion fixedly contacting the wall of. the orifice through which each tube passes through a major portion of its perimeter. 1

2. In a heat exchanger, a tube bundle havingtubes, 2. support plate'intermediate the ends of said tube bundle and having orifices for the passage of the tubes therethrough, the tubes being expanded in the region of said support plate to firmly contact the orifice walls.

JAMES B. FORBES. 

